News

Are you thinking about setting up a retirement plan for yourself and your employees, but you’re worried about the financial commitment and administrative burdens involved in providing a traditional pension plan? Two options to consider are a “simplified employee pension” (SEP) or a “savings incentive match plan for employees” (SIMPLE).

A revocable living trust is often used to complement a will. For instance, you might transfer specific securities to the trust. Notably, these assets generally don’t have to go through the probate process, which can be time-consuming and expensive.

A recent tax law provides a 100% business deduction (up from 50%) for food and beverage expenses in 2021 and 2022 as long as they’re “provided by a restaurant.” The IRS has now defined the term “restaurant” for purposes of the deduction.

Auditing standards require a year-end risk assessment. One potential source of risk may be a small business’s reliance on the owner and other critical members of its management team. If a so-called “key person” unexpectedly becomes incapacitated or dies, it could disrupt day-to-day operations, alarm customers, lenders and suppliers, and drain working capital reserves.

The IRS’s Get My Payment tool provides taxpayers with information about the status of their 2021 Economic Impact Payments. So, what information can you expect to receive when using the tool? Among other things, a payment status will inform you of whether your payment has been processed and whether it will be sent by direct deposit or mail. It will also provide a payment date if available.

The statement of cash flows essentially tells you about cash entering and leaving a business. It’s arguably the most misunderstood and underappreciated part of a company’s annual report. After all, a business that reports positive net income on its income statements sometimes doesn’t have enough cash in the bank to pay its bills. Reviewing the statement of cash flows can provide significant insight into a company’s financial health and long-term viability.

If your family owns a vacation home, you know what a relaxing refuge it can be. This is especially true these days due to the limited travel options you may have because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. However, without a solid plan and ground rules that all family members agree to, conflict and tension may result in a ruined vacation — or worse yet, selling the home.

President Biden has signed the PPP Extension Act of 2021. The new law extends the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application filing deadline from March 31, 2021, to May 31, 2021, thus providing potential PPP borrowers additional time to submit their applications. The law doesn’t provide the PPP with any additional funding. However, $7.25 billion in additional funding was recently provided in the American Rescue Plan Act.

Are you thinking about launching a business with some partners and wondering what type of entity to form? An S corporation may be the most suitable form of business for your new venture. Here’s an explanation of the reasons why.

It’s tax-filing season and you’re likely focused on your income or business tax returns. But don’t forget about another type of return. In 2020, if you made substantial gifts of wealth to family members you may have to file a gift tax return.

The Employee Retention Credit (ERC), which was created to encourage employers to keep their workforces intact during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been with us for a year. But questions about it remain for many employers. With the new American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) extending the credit and expanding eligibility — and the credit worth as much as $28,000 per employee for 2021 — employers should brush up on the details.

April 15th is still an important date.  Despite the recent news of the IRS extending the federal tax deadline, our tax professionals are working hard to complete client tax returns by the original April 15th deadline to the extent possible.